2015 has been a busy year for Peruvian cinema. A record-breaking 30 films will have opened in theaters by the time December rolls around; some have been better received than others. There's the box office smash of Asu Mare 2, starring Carlos Alcántara, who later got lost in the jungle in Lusers, also starring Chile's Felipe Izquierdo and Argentina's Pablo Granados.
We've also had the likes of horror sequel Cementerio General 2 from director Dorian Fernandez-Moris, his fourth film in two years; and there's also been some low-key, more personal films such as Enrica Pérez's Climas, Héctor Gálvez's forensic drama NN -- our representative in the Best Foreign Film race at next year's Oscars -- and actor Salvador del Solar's directing debut, Magallanes.
While not all of these films managed to reach a mass audience, they're all proof that our Peruvian film industry is still in a growth phase, with movies starting to diversify in tone and subject matter. At one point, we've had five Peruvian films playing in theaters at the same time, which is definitely a first.
November will close out this banner year with four releases, all totally different from each other, of course.
El Cebichito
This culinary comedy from Carlos Landeo Vega mixes movies with probably the best thing Peru currently has going for it: our food. Considering how popular our cooking is, a movie focused on it was only a matter of time. This one tells the story of two friends and aspiring chefs who dream of opening their own restaurant; hijinks ensue. (5 Nov.)
Como en el Cine
A youth-oriented comedy from Gonzalo Ladines, about the misadventures of a group of friends attempting to make a low-budget short film. Ladines is one of the creators of the web series Los Cinéfilos, which stars Manuel Gold and Guillermo Castañeda as a couple of film geeks commenting and satirizing movies. Both star here alongside an attractive young cast, and this first trailer looks pretty promising. (12 Nov.)
El Beneficio de la Duda
Big Bang Films is one of our busiest production companies. This, the directing debut of art director Ani Alva Helfer, is an old-fashioned suspense yarn about the battle of wills between a woman home alone at night and the shady cop who rings her doorbell while investigating her lover’s disappearance. The trailer reminds one of 90s style suspensers a la Unlawful Entry, and one of its biggest selling points is seeing how well-known comic actor Ricky Tosso handles a straight dramatic part as the resident psycho. (19 Nov.)
The Nutcracker Sweet (El Cascanueces)
Director Eduardo Schuldt is known for animated children’s films such as The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer and Fantastic Force. After taking a detour into horror territory with La Entidad, he’s right back in his element with this adaptation of the classic Christmas story.
While made in Spanish, Schuldt also made an English version for international markets featuring the voices of Alicia Silverstone and Ed Asner. (26 Nov.)
English Language Version: